Hockey Picks for Tuesday March 1, 2011: Nashville Predators vs. Edmonton Oilers

Online Sportsbook Overview

If plan to bet on March Madness and the like to start getting the best MLB predictions visit www.mlbpredictions.org then you know how important timing can be. It can be a sports betting bonus for a team searching for a better spot in the NCAA tournament to get a weak late-season opponent. The hockey experts know that an NHL team in search of a break during the playoff hunt can welcome a game against a lesser opponent. The only problem is that some teams can take that lesser opponent too lightly and not grab those important points.

The Nashville Predators are right in the middle of the hunt for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Predators are tied with three other teams at 72 points, and every win counts. The Edmonton Oilers were out of the Western Conference playoff race when the season started. But that does not mean that the Oilers are not capable of a few surprises.

Nashville Predators

After an impressive showing in last year’s playoffs, the Nashville Predators and their fans expected to be right back in the middle of the playoff mix this season. Nashville got off to a slow start this season, but it has really picked up the pace in the second half of the season. Nashville is second only to conference-leading Vancouver in the number of home losses with seven. But the Predators have fallen to the spot they are in now with a 4-5-1 record in its last 10 games. The other problem for the Predators is that they are 17-16-1 on the road. Nashville is much better at home than on the road, and the Oilers are not a team to fall asleep against.

Edmonton Oilers

Everything about the Oilers indicates that they are not capable of beating a playoff-hungry team like the Predators. In the last 10 games, the Oilers are 4-6-0 and they are riding a two-game losing streak. They are securely in last place in the Western Conference trailing the nearest team by 11 points. The Oilers have a 10-19-4 home record, and the Predators should take the Oilers very seriously. The Oilers have a habit of dropping wins in-between strings of losses that can break the hearts of playoff contenders. Just ask the Atlanta Thrashers.

The Bottom Line

If the Predators play their game, then they should be able to beat the Oilers. But if the Predators come into this game looking ahead to other opponents, then the Oilers will make them pay. The Oilers are a very young team that is still trying to find its way. But even the teams that seem lost can take a right turn once in a while. The Oilers are not getting great goaltending, their defense is slow and inexperienced and they do not have any real capable scoring forwards. But the Oilers do sell their arena out every night, and those fans can sometimes push the Oilers to do great things. The flashes of potential in Edmonton are few and far between, but if the Predators are not careful one of those flashes could knock Nashville down a notch in the playoff race.

Gambling Advisor blog Pick: Nashville Predators